Improvement in side-saddle trees



O. V. FLORA;

SIDE SADDLE TREE. No. 177,233. Patented May 9,1876.

NF'E'I'ERS, PNOTO LITHOGRAFHEL WASHINGTON D Q invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,, ORLANDO V. FLORA, OF MADISON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO MEYER, BAUNERMAN & 00., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SIDE-SADDLE TREES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,233, dated May 9, 1876; application filed April 20, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLANDO V. FLORA, of Madison, in the county of Jefferson and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Side-Saddle Trees, of which the following'is a specification:

The nature of this invention consists, principally, in providing a side tree of ordinary kind with side rails to form the frame-work of a concave seat also in the method of forming the crook.

One important feature in my invention consists in providingthe tree, as above stated, with side rails of wood, steamed and bent to the proper curve and secured to the tree, as shown.'

Another important feature is the crook, constructed as will hereinafter be described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of my Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the crook.

Let A A represent the side bars, and B the cantle, of an ordinary side saddle tree. D is the crook, E the near horn, and]? the off horn.

When a saddle-tree is constructed with these elements simply, it forms the common tree, and the saddler usually builds up to form a level, or nearly level, seat, with hay, padding, &c. To form the frame-work for a concave seat, I steam and bend to-the proper form strips of tough wood, to form the side rails O G, and secure the first named to the cantle B, at the point 0, at one end, and to the crook D, at the point 11, at the other end. This I call the off rail. The near rail 0 is attached to the cantle B, at the point a, at one end, and to the near side bar A, at the point I), at the other. These rails are bent and trimmed to the proper shape, to form a continuation of the rim of the cantle around to the proper point forward, and, when covered horse, thereby enhancing the comfort of the latter. As the drawing shows the construction and mode of applying the rails O 0, it will not be necessary to describe them more particularly, except to state that they may be attached at the ends in any secure and rigid manner. cantle at the back end and glue them, adding screws or nails for additional security. The

front ends may be secured in substantially the same manner.

I have shown in the drawings a method of constructing a crook that I think adapted to my tree, but I do not claim it.

I am aware that concave seats have been applied to side-saddle trees, built up of wood, and scooped out to form the hollow but these are expensive in construction and very heavy. I am also aware that seats have been made to be sold separate from the bars, to be attached by the saddler, the said seat being a continuous rim bearing the horns. I do not claim a concave seat, nor no I claim any novelty in a tree having apassage for air between the riders seat and the horse 5 but What I claim as new is In combination with the side bars A A, cantle B, and horns E F, of a common sidesaddle tree, the wooden side rails O O steamed, bent, and dressed into the proper form, and rigidly secured to the said tree, in the manner substantially as shown and specified.

ORLANDO V. FLORA.

Witnesses:

WM. E. MOLELAND, W. H. POGUE.

I prefer to abut them against the 

